pic: SoCal FLL Qualifier

[CD47-Bot]

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[Rich Wong]

O M G !!!!!!!
How on earth did the team get that ramp/slide onto the field legally?
And how was the balls loaded everytime?
How is it possible to deliver the balls without returning the ramp/slide to base which is required if it is part of the robot?

[Arefin Bari]

Thanks rich .. for bring it up... i was wondering about the same question.

[Tuba4]

The ramp certainly has to fit inside the base at the start of the mission. And don't forget the 16" ceiling either! But it does not have to return to base each time. Even though it was a part of the robot when it first left, once the robot disconnects from it, the ramp becomes a strategic item. The team could ask for it to be removed from the playing field, but in this case why would they want to?

It also looks like it might be hinged in the middle in some fashion.

[Dara_Ter]

Well, this has to be one of the best interpretations of rules I have seen yet, props to them for coming up with such an ingenious system.

[DangerDanger!]

I was there and watched this team with amazement. Too bad the photo can't show how very deft those two team members were at handling their highly effective robot.

[Vu2000]

We actually had a FLL competition at Preuss (San Diego) and if I can see correctly that is the LEGOPros from HighTech Middle. Those kids are amazing, I do not remember seeing that ramp during out competition (Nov 13), but if there was any flaw AT ALL with their robot, it was that the one team beat them to the basket, maybe they integrated the ramp to beat other teams to the basket. Another thing was that they didn't put all 8 balls in the basket in San Diego, so the ramp is on their now. The team scored 370 in one round in San Diego, and I'm sure with the addition with the ramp they have the capability of going to the max now. At the end they do 4 tasks in one: They light sense the bus stop, bring the food to the pets, hit the gate open, reverse and up the stairs in less than 20 seconds. They were last year's runners up at nationals, and the only thing that is really keeping them from going all the way, is if they can finish the mission faster than the other team (mostly referring to the making the center basket). So if they can get the ball in the center ring first, there is no way they can really lose, just tie, unless the team decides to go through the gate all the way. Other than not getting 5 points for going through the gate all the way, they have max points now.

[Carol K.]

I noticed that the mat is not perfectly flat. Doesn't this affect our robots performance, if they go over a bump and go crooked?

[Tuba4]

Can anyone provide some details of how the ramp worked? How did they position it? How did they load the balls? Those things are not readily apparent from the photo! Nonetheless, it is an awesome strategy.